BE THE CHANGE: “I tend to be an idealist,” says Ethan Buckner, class of 2013. “If I were to paint a picture of what I want the world to look like in the future, it would include many, many changes. And I know that there are many ways of going about that work.”
Though only midway through his sophomore year, he’s already given a lot of thought to the ways in which he can make those changes. “I don’t necessarily see myself going down the road of being a politician or an activist or a doctor. When I think about what I’ll do in the world after I graduate, I plan to see where my skills and passions most greatly align with the needs of the community around me in a way that will make me happy, that will hopefully be fulfilling and meaningful for me.”
But Buckner isn’t waiting for graduation to start making a difference. Soon after arriving at Vassar, coming from the western suburbs of Minneapolis, MN, he immersed himself in several of Vassar’s student organizations, including the Vassar Greens and the Outing Club. He became an intern for the college’s Sustainability Committee and is taking courses in everything from international studies to political science to geology. “I have a lot of intellectual passions and interests that are both informed by and inform the work that I do outside of academics. Having the flexibility to take courses that align with my interests is really important to me.”
Locally, Buckner is involved in a campaign opposing the expansion of the Dutchess County incinerator. “It causes a lot of pollution and has a lot of public health and environmental issues, as well as economic mismanagement that could be related to some unemployment issues in the community,” says Buckner. “As we go about making a public testimony, I can use something that I’ve learned, for instance, in my geography class to help formulate a strategy that will make sense to the policy makers in Poughkeepsie and may influence their decisions.”
Buckner applies the same strategies on a global level, particularly through his involvement with the Sierra Club’s Student Coalition. In 2009, with some assistance from Vassar’s Sustainability Committee, Buckner joined the coalition’s youth delegation to the U.N. climate negotiations in Copenhagen, Denmark. “It was an incredibly interesting experience and an amazing opportunity to learn about the dynamics of international policy making and climate politics. It was also very important as a way to stand in solidarity with those who are suffering the effects right now of climate change and to put pressure on policy makers in the U.S.”
In 2010, the negotiations were held in Cancun, Mexico, and Buckner once again represented. “For two weeks I barely slept, maybe two or three hours a night.” Buckner describes an especially inspiring workshop in which his group was paired with a delegation of Chinese youth. “It had a lot of symbolism associated with it, as the U.S. and Chinese leadership tend to really butt heads on issues of climate change. We worked to build mutual understanding and trust, breakdown cultural barriers, and work together toward a common framework for promoting climate solutions in both of our countries. It was a really powerful and unique experience— and really fun.”
“Ultimately,” Buckner says, “we were able to secure private meetings with the top U.S. negotiators and numerous members of the cabinet. As young people we don’t get many opportunities at that level. It’s extremely difficult for us to be taken seriously. Young people are going to inherit a lot of the challenges that weren’t necessarily caused by us, and so we wanted our voices to be heard. We got a lot of top news story placements. From a youth organizing perspective, we were really successful.”
Back at Vassar, Buckner is pleased to “integrate a lot of what I learned into my coursework.” But even more, it’s the extracurricular experience that Buckner seems to thrive on. “The opportunities and possibilities to get involved and make something meaningful happen are totally endless at Vassar. Working with the Sustainability Committee and the Vassar Greens, the work I’m doing now in the local community, going to these conferences, I’m finally figuring out how to make my little voice heard among thousands, and that’s been a really amazing lesson.”